In a local area network (LAN) a user, such as a portable computer equipped with communication capability, gains access to the LAN via a physical connection in order to communicate with remote facilities or use shared resources, such as file servers, print servers, etc. In a stationary mode of operation, all users are static and each user gains access to the network via a fixed homing point. However, in a mobile environment users are free to change their physical location and cannot be restricted to gain access to the network only through one of several homing points attached to the LAN. In a mobile environment the homing points are fixed header stations that communicate with the mobile users through wireless uplink and downlink channels. Examples of wireless links include radio frequency (RF) links, microwave links and infrared (IR) links.
An important consideration in the implementation of a media access protocol in a wireless communications network is that the set of users within a given communications cell typically changes with time. As a result, the fixed header station, with which the cell is associated, cannot assume that the number of users desiring access to the uplink channel is fixed. Neither can the header station assume that the identity of the users accessing the uplink channel is fixed over any extended period of time because the users are free to enter and leave the communications cell.
An additional consideration relates to the types of applications that are to be supported by the wireless network. Diverse communications traffic needs may require different bandwidth and performance requirements to coexist within a given network. By example, data traffic may require low average delay while voice traffic typically requires guaranteed bandwidth and real-time delivery. A multi-access protocol must be capable of satisfying such diverse requirements.
The following U.S. Patents and articles are made of record for teaching various aspects of mobile communication.
The following two U.S. Patents show communication systems having overlapping coverage areas. U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,105, Jun. 24, 1986, entitled "Data Communications System having Overlapping Receiver coverage Zones" to Freeburg and U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,271, issued Nov. 14, 1989, entitled "Portable Wireless Communication Systems" to Yamauchi et al. Yamauchi et al. provide for a hand-off of a subscriber station from one base station to another by the base station continually monitoring the signal strength of the subscriber station.
The following U.S. patents teach various aspects of wireless communication networks.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,946, issued Dec. 20, 1988, entitled "Wireless Local Area Network for Use in Neighborhoods" S. Mayo describes a local area network that includes transceiver stations serially coupled together in a loop.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,633, issued Oct. 11, 1988, entitled "Base Station for Wireless Digital Telephone System" Fletcher et al. describe a base station that communicates with subscriber stations by employing a slotted communications protocol.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,310, issued Mar. 8, 1988, entitled "Terrestrial Communications System" Acampora et al. describe a communications system that employs spot beams, TDMA and frequency reuse to provide communication between a base station and remote stations.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,519, issued May 12, 1987, entitled "Wireless Computer Modem" Kirchner et al. disclose a wireless modem for transferring data in a computer local area network.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,914, issued Jan. 27, 1987, entitled "Wireless PBX/LAN System with Optimum Combining" Winters discloses a wireless LAN system that employs adaptive signal processing to dynamically reassign a user from one channel to another.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,858, issued Jun. 6, 1989, entitled "Subscriber Unit for a Trunked Voice/Data Communication System" Ablay et al. disclose a trunked voice/data subscriber that operates in either a voice mode or one of three data modes.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,122, issued Jul. 25, 1989, entitled "Modem Suited for Wireless Communication Channel Use" Nelson et al. disclose a wireless communication system and, specifically, a modem that communicates digital data with data terminal equipment.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,495, issued May 15, 1990 entitled "Computer Aided Dispatch System" Comroe et al disclose a computer aided dispatch system that includes a master file node and a plurality of user nodes. The master file node maintains a record for each subscriber and automatically transmits an updated record to each dispatcher attached to a subgroup in which the subscriber operates.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,793, issued Jun. 26, 1984, W. E. Baker et al. describe a cordless telephone system having infrared wireless links between handsets and transponders. The transponders are wired to subsystem controllers which are in turn wired to a system controller. The central controller polls the cordless stations every 100 milliseconds to detect cordless station locations and to identify "missing" cordless stations.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,222, issued Feb. 21, 1989 N. Amitay describes a LAN wherein users communicate with RF or IR signals with an assigned Regional Bus Interface Unit (RBIU). Protocols such as CSMA/CD and slotted ALOHA are employed in communicating with the RBIUs.
In commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,090, issued Aug. 30, 1983, F. Gfeller et al. describe an infrared communication system that operates between a plurality of satellite stations and a plurality of terminal stations. A host computer communicates with the terminal stations via a cluster controller and the satellite stations, which may be ceiling mounted. Communication with the terminal stations is not interrupted even during movement of the terminal stations.
In IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 20, No. Dec. 7, 1977 F. Closs et al. describe the use of both line-of-sight and diffuse transmission of infrared signals for wireless communications between a ceiling-based controller and a plurality of terminals.
In IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 24, No. 8, page 4043, January 1982 F. Gfeller describes general control principles of an infrared wireless network incorporating multiple ceiling mounted transponders that couple a host/controller to multiple terminal stations. Access to the uplink channel is controlled by a Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) method.
What is not taught by this prior art, and what is thus an object of the invention to provide, are communication methodologies that realize an efficient allocation of uplink bandwidth to a variable population of mobile communication units in a wireless communications network served by a wired network.